Improvement in covers for bottle-tops



F. M. PIPER; COVEERS FOR BOTTLE-TOPS.

Patented Jan.30, 1877.

Men/for:

N.PETERS, PH

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS M. PIPER, OF WESTBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN COVERS FOR BOTTLE-TOPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. l86,690, dated January 30, 1877 application filed July 1, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS M. PIPER, of the town of Westborough, county of Worcester, State of Massachusetts, have invented a Cover for Bottle-Tubes, of which the following is a specification: v

The object of my invention is to aflord a cover for the aperture occurring in the metal-- using the bottle in extracting therefrom any portion of its contents desired.

To represent my invention I have chosen a bitter-bottle, and attached to the tube thereof the lever, spring, and hinge, as shown in the accompanying drawing, which, with the cover at the end of the lever, aflord the protection required. This principle may be applied to the tubes of decanters and bar-bottles with equal success.

By reference to the drawing it will be seen that I represent aside elevation of my device, letter A representing the lever, with cover E at the end, of sufficient size to entirely close the aperture at the top, said lever being made of any kind of metal or other suitable material. To this lever is attached the spring B, which, with the lever, is fastened to the hinge G by being inserted between its two ears, with a pivot extending from one to the other, passing through the lever, the hinge, in turn, being fastened to the tip D by soldering or brazing.

In Fig. 2, it will be seen that I have broken away a section of the hinge O, to better show the bearing of spring B, which is at the end of the space occurring between the two ears of hinge O. This spring can be reversed with the same effect, having the end of the spring that is made fast attached to the ear or hinge, and the loose end bear against the lever. The device is made of metal or other suitable material, preferably of brass or cop-- per, except the spring, which should be steel.

I am aware that there are other methods in use for closing the aperture in bottle-tubes, such as marbles secured in various ways, and which fall over the mouth of the tube and cover it whenin a perpendicular position but, to the best of my knowledge and belief, there has never been anything provided for bitterbottle tubes except a piece of wood in the shape of a peg or stopper applied by the person using the bottle; but this method is not convenient or practical, as it has to be removed each time before the bottle can be used, and often gets misplaced or lost before there is time to replace it in the tube. In summertime it-is impossible to prevent the insects from entering the bottle unless the opening in,

the tube is protected in some manner.

I claim that the invention herein described does protect the contents of the bottle from insects of all kinds, and in a great measure prevents evaporation, as the lever is always closed, whether in a horizontal or perpendicular position, the instant it is freed of pressure.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new in its application, and desire to be secured by Letters Patent, is-

The lever A, having the cover E, spring B, and hinge or clevis O, in combination with the stopper-tube D, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

FRANCIS M. PIPER. Witnesses:

M. G. TURNER, S. S. TURNER. 

